All posts tagged Verano

General Motors Co.’s Buick division says it will unveil its new 2012 Buick Verano compact luxury sedan at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week. The car maker says the Verano, which is the latest in a line of vehicles meant to revitalize the brand, goes on sale in the fourth quarter of this year.

Buick released a teaser photo of the Verano in October and has said it will be aimed at buyers who want a luxury car that is smaller than its new Regal sedan. The Verano is also part of a broader strategy at GM to attract new customers and respond to tighter federal fuel economy regulations by building a wider variety of small, fuel-efficient cars.

By taking a more serious approach to the compact segment GM hopes to become a formidable player in a market where it has been known for losing money.

General Motors says it will spend $145 million to get its Orion Assembly Center ready to turn out a future compact Buick sedan called the Verano in addition to a previously announced small car from Chevrolet.

Mark Reuss, GM’s president of North American operations, said the Verano will be a premium car aimed at buyers who want luxury in something smaller than the company’s new Regal sedan. The Verano is also part of a broader strategy at GM to attract new customers by building a wider variety of small, fuel-efficient cars. The move is aimed at making GM a better-developed player in the compact-car segment — an especially competitive part of the market in which GM has been known for losing money.